Our specialist Abuse Claims Solicitors are often asked lots of questions about sexual abuse and violence. In this article, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions that we hear.
For free legal advice call 0808 239 1287 or request a callback and we will help you.
If you’re the victim of abuse, no matter how old you are, the law will give you special protection because you’ll be regarded as a vulnerable adult. If you go to Court, you should be able to ask for special measures such as giving evidence anonymously, and behind a screen so that you don’t have to see your abuser again.
People who have been abused have often been told that the abuse is their fault and bullied into silence by threats of what may happen if they try to report the abuse. And they’ve often been told that no one will believe them if they do speak up.
However, you do have several legal options:
Our Abuse Solicitors attended the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) abuse conference on 23 June 2022. This is an annual event which welcomes different speakers to discuss areas relating to the work we do for our clients.
The rights of both adults and children have been firmly enshrined in UK law for many years.
If you were abused as a child or are the parent or carer of a child that has been abused, a specialist Abuse Solicitor can help.
We're rated‘Excellent’
There’s no time limit in England and Wales for the police to prosecute your abuser. The Courts frequently try men who are well past retirement age who have no previous convictions, and put them in prison for offences of child abuse, even though they are frail and elderly.
There has to be enough evidence, however, to bring before the Courts and prove beyond reasonable doubt that a crime was committed. The longer the passage of time, the more difficult it is to do so.
There are time limits, however, for civil claims for compensation, and it’s sometimes more difficult to bring a claim without a successful criminal prosecution and/or supportive evidence.
Whilst there are examples of successful abuse cases many years ago where the only witness was the victim of abuse, it’s unusual for either the police or Simpson Millar to take a case on where it is one person’s word against another.
There usually has to be some other supportive evidence such as other victims giving evidence against the same abuser, a written confession, or an investigation at the time of the abuse, which may not have been successfully concluded. There are other examples.
Fill in your details and one of our team will call you back
